Terraced House Shared Downpipe Causing Damp Issues

[weatherfieldiv]

Hi everyone,

I'm currently facing a damp issue in my terraced house, and after consulting a builder, it seems the problem might be linked to my neighbor's house.

According to the builder, my neighbor doesn't have their own downpipe and is sharing my gutter, causing overflows during heavy rains over the last month. The builder recommended checking my Title Deed to verify the legality of this arrangement (he believes it's not permitted). However, I couldn't find any specific mention of pipes on the Title Deed. Is there a particular section where this information might be included or a better way to confirm this?

I have minimal interaction with my neighbors, and they seem nice. The previous owners took it upon themselves to modify the arrangement during their construction work, opting to share my downpipe/gutters seemingly to maintain the aesthetic appearance of the back of their property (If I remember correctly it wasn't like that previous to works).

My plan is to first confirm these details and then document the situation with photos. I intend to approach my neighbors and discuss a resolution, as it's necessary for them to erect scaffolding and redirect their downpipe to their own gutter/drains. The water marks appearing on my walls indicate that this shared arrangement is causing damage.

Over the weekend, I'll upload some photos to illustrate the situation more clearly. I'm seeking advice on the best way to clarify the legalities and approach this situation with my neighbors.

Any suggestions on how to navigate this or insights on finding the relevant information would be greatly appreciated.

 

[cross thread]

Not unusual for terraced houses to share a down pipe ,have a look at the other houses to see if the same.

 

[RandomGrinch]

As above, this can be completely normal for a terrace.
My rear downpipe takes the rain from 3 houses, my front, 5!
There is no mention of this in the deeds.

 

[Deluks]

Ours are shared too.

Are the gutters and downpipes in good condition and clear of debris?
This is the most likely cause of overflowing gutters, unless you have a massive roof area.

 

[^woody^]

It's implied into property law that with shared roofs and gutters, one property should carry the runoff from neighbours if that's how the properties were built and designed. It won't be in any deeds.

The issue is, why after decades, is there a problem now. What has changed? Find that out, and deal with that.

 

[weatherfieldiv]

Not unusual for terraced houses to share a down pipe ,have a look at the other houses to see if the same.

UPDATE:

The neighbouring houses seem to have their own down pipes. I have now attached photos below of the issue.

I've thoroughly checked my Title Deed, and interestingly, there's no mention or recording of Easements regarding these pipes.

My annual maintenance routine includes regular gutter cleaning, and it's worth noting that my property had an extension built four years ago. This is the first time water damage has appeared, and I suspect it's due to the exceptionally heavy rainfall this year. Besides that, there haven't been any significant changes.

I plan to discuss this issue with my neighbor when they return from vacation next week. However, I'm uncertain about the legal aspect - if there are no easements recorded, does that mean my neighbor isn't partially responsible for altering the downpipe/gutter setup, even though it's causing damage to my property?

Thank you all for your insights and advice in advance.

 

[noseall]

UPDATE:

The neighbouring houses seem to have their own down pipes. I have now attached photos below of the issue.

I've thoroughly checked my Title Deed, and interestingly, there's no mention or recording of Easements regarding these pipes.

My annual maintenance routine includes regular gutter cleaning, and it's worth noting that my property had an extension built four years ago. This is the first time water damage has appeared, and I suspect it's due to the exceptionally heavy rainfall this year. Besides that, there haven't been any significant changes.

I plan to discuss this issue with my neighbor when they return from vacation next week. However, I'm uncertain about the legal aspect - if there are no easements recorded, does that mean my neighbor isn't partially responsible for altering the downpipe/gutter setup, even though it's causing damage to my property?

Thank you all for your insights and advice in advance.

Wow. All of the rainwater from ALL of your rear roofs ends up in that lead valley? There are a lot of red circles. Where is the actual leak?

 

[HERTS P&D]

Where is the actual leak?

Pictures of the damp patch and location would help.

Andy

 

[weatherfieldiv]

Wow. All of the rainwater from ALL of your rear roofs ends up in that lead valley? There are a lot of red circles. Where is the actual leak?

Apologies for not clarifying earlier. My property is adjacent to the pink house, and the issue arises as it receives rainfall not just from my house but also from theirs.

I've attached a photo showcasing the leak for reference.

 

[noseall]

Apologies for not clarifying earlier. My property is adjacent to the pink house, and the issue arises as it receives rainfall not just from my house but also from theirs.

I've attached a photo showcasing the leak for reference.

Ahh, so its your lead valley that's leaking. I doubt the extra bit of rainwater from the neighbour is making that much difference. It's a poor set-up regardless of the neighbour.

 

[diy_fun_uk]

Ahh, so its your lead valley that's leaking. I doubt the extra bit of rainwater from the neighbour is making that much difference. It's a poor set-up regardless of the neighbour.

This is just what I was about to type. When looking at the pics, I 'think' the poster is saying rainwater is overflowing from upper gutter (pic 2) down onto lower roof (pic 1) where water's then finding its way through at the valley below the windows.

Would it help to have deep flow gutters at the upper roof section (pic 2) to mitigate any overflow onto the lower roof, or pointless? i.e. best just to get the valley watertight and leave the rest as is?

 

[aveatry]

No expert but I too would be looking at the lead flashing and also possibly the roof windows. That extension roof of yours looks really steep possibly the water is running off so fast that it is splashing all over the place when it gets to the valley. Try going out the next time it chucks it down and see for yourself what is happening.

 

[catlad]

I'd lay a hose pipe on the top of one of those skylights and let it flow between the skylights and monitor it for an hour or so.

 

[weatherfieldiv]

Ahh, so its your lead valley that's leaking. I doubt the extra bit of rainwater from the neighbour is making that much difference. It's a poor set-up regardless of the neighbour.

I suspect the leak is originating from the lead valley. It seems the builder responsible for the extension might be too quick to attribute the issue solely to the shared downpipe instead of considering the possibility of flaws in their own workmanship. Rectifying the problem might require redoing the lead valley, which would entail additional effort on their part.

This is just what I was about to type. When looking at the pics, I 'think' the poster is saying rainwater is overflowing from upper gutter (pic 2) down onto lower roof (pic 1) where water's then finding its way through at the valley below the windows.

Would it help to have deep flow gutters at the upper roof section (pic 2) to mitigate any overflow onto the lower roof, or pointless? i.e. best just to get the valley watertight and leave the rest as is?

Yes, that's accurate. I've been considering switching to deep flow gutters and plan to discuss the downpipe situation with my neighbour. To ensure an impartial assessment, I'm reaching out to another roofer for their unbiased opinion on the matter. I'm a bit wary of the builder who handled the extension and their insistence on blaming the shared downpipe. If there's a leak, it suggests there might be an issue with the valley not being completely water-tight.

No expert but I too would be looking at the lead flashing and also possibly the roof windows. That extension roof of yours looks really steep possibly the water is running off so fast that it is splashing all over the place when it gets to the valley. Try going out the next time it chucks it down and see for yourself what is happening.

I plan to be in the garden during the next heavy rainfall to observe closely. The roof doesn't have a steep angle, although the photo might not depict it clearly. The builder did mention that the existing gutters might struggle to manage the significant volume of water during intense rainfall.

I'd lay a hose pipe on the top of one of those skylights and let it flow between the skylights and monitor it for an hour or so.

I will give this a go, thank you.

 

[mattylad]

Some of your photo's have the toilet waste pipes circled?

Instead of allowing the upper pipe to flow into the lead valley, change it to a long angled horizontal pipe that bypasses the valley and it's outlet is where the valley ends, that way the water from above will not be causing the leak (unless it's overflowing the gutters).

Are you able to take clear photo's of the areas of the valley that you think may be allowing water ingress, too?